Summer Programs/Summer School Update

After working with District staff and consulting with local and state health authorities, we have made decisions and mapped out plans for the District’s summer programs. The many complexities associated with planning summer programs in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic will make summer programs look very different this year than they have in the past. After reading, if you have any questions about a specific program, please contact the director of that program:

SummerQuest & Family Center Summer CampWe have decided to cancel SummerQuest and Family Center Camp for Summer 2020. This was not an easy decision as we know these programs have been a fixture of the summer experience for many of our families. There is neither guidance on how we could safely bring together large numbers of children and adults in a recreational setting nor a projected time for when we could do so. In addition, the phased openings of city parks and recreation facilities would make it difficult to support camp programming and activities. So, out of an abundance of caution for our campers’ and staff members’ health, cancelling the programs was the most practical decision.

Our team enjoys seeing our campers return year after year; we will miss seeing them this summer but look forward to a summer of fun with them in 2021. We understand the disappointment and hardship this decision brings to many of our families. Families who have already paid camp tuition will automatically receive refund checks in the coming weeks. Due to the volume of refunds the District is currently processing related to cancelled school year activities, we appreciate your patience as the camp refunds are processed.

Elementary Summer Academy (ESA) & Wydown Summer Academy (WSA)We continue to adjust our planning of ESA and WSA. It is difficult to predict what public health guidance will look like in late July. Our current plan is to shift ESA to a “jump start” experience leading into the 2020-2021 school year with tentative dates of July 27 through Aug. 7. The program will run as full days and take place at Glenridge Elementary School as originally planned. We will re-evaluate this plan as the dates near. For WSA, we are exploring both virtual (June 2020) and in-person (July 27 - Aug. 7) options. We are still gathering information to support our decision-making and our contingency planning for WSA. We are also coordinating with Special School District regarding Extended School Year services.

Clayton Summer Academy (CSA)Creating a reliable pathway for our high school students to accrue or recover credits toward graduation is a priority. For that reason, CSA will take place virtually starting June 3, 2020. Students who were originally scheduled to take a seated class for credit acquisition at CSA should contact Joyce Bell (joycebell@claytonschools.net) to get updated registration information about Launch’s Traditional Virtual course offerings. In addition, several CHS teachers will be teaching virtually using Launch’s online curriculum materials in order to support students recovering credit in the areas of science, math, English, and american history.

The Great Start program and Academic Foundations will shift to July 27 - Aug. 7 as in-person experiences and will be re-evaluated as the dates near. Otherwise, students may check in with their grade-level counselor for advice on summer classes in preparation for the fall. Similar to ESA and WSA, we are also coordinating with Special School District regarding Extended School Year services.

We want to continue to provide you with the latest information about the coronavirus. Our team of health professionals and District administrators is working to both monitor this situation on a daily basis and manage the District's response to this outbreak. We are also continuing to work with our local and state health agency partners.

Any calls for basic COVID-19 information should be directed to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. "The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) activated a statewide public hotline for citizens or providers needing guidance regarding the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The hotline opened and can be reached at 877-435-8411. The hotline is being operated by medical professionals and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."

Anyone who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they are experiencing symptoms should call the St. Louis County Department of Public Health hotline at 314-615-2660.